Childcarer Terms & Conditions
Code of conduct
SuperiorSitters is a babysitting agency that provides outstanding childcare for families who require childcare services. When you join SuperiorSitters as a childcare professional you acknowledge you are self employed which means you are responsible for declaring your earnings and paying any tax and national insurance contributions to HMRC.
Before the booking
When you accept a booking with our agency you agree to abide by the following code of conduct
After you have accepted a booking with SuperiorSitters you are expected to attend that booking. We understand that there may be a time where a childcare provider may need to cancel a booking at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances. If this does happen you are expected to contact SuperiorSitters to cancel via phone on the number provided so a replacement childcarer can be found.
We ask all our sitters to confirm every booking they receive by sending the parent a message the day they receive the booking. We also advice you call the parent 60 minute before the booking starts to confirm and reassure the parent of your attendance. If you have a booking that starts before 9am then a courtesy call the evening before would be expected.
If you are unable to reach the parent then please leave a voice message and a text to confirm your attendance. You are still expected to attend the booking unless the agency or the parent tells you there has been a cancellation.
If you fail to attend a booking you had previously accepted and you do not inform the agency you will be removed from our books immediately and you will not receive any future bookings.
It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the route to the family home and insure you allow sufficient time for your journey.
Please ensure you have your SuperiorSitters I.D with you when attending a booking. Some parents will ask to see it when you arrive.
While at the booking
It is unprofessional for another person to attend a booking instead of you or with you. This also includes your children and parents should not be asked this by childcares.
Ensure the child/children are checked regularly especially young babies, ensure you are seated somewhere close in the home to allow you to hear child/children.
It is advised to go through the children’s routines and rules with their parents before they leave their child/children in your care.
If a parent requires you to give their child/children medication, they must give you written consent to do so and the doctors/medicine guidelines are to be followed. Under no circumstances is medication to be given without parent’s consent.
Although it is rare, there maybe an occasional where a parent offers you an alcoholic beverages, under no circumstances are these to be consumed by the childcare professional while caring for their children.
You should never leave the client’s home unattended at any time unless directed to do so by the parent.
Mobile phones and other recording devices should not be used consistently in the presence of the child/children during daytime booking and at under no circumstances are you to photograph, film or record child/children on your personal devices.
Do not under any circumstances get physical with the child/children in your care, this includes shaking, smacking, shouting, slapping or striking (refer to agency behaviour strategy policy)
Protocol while in client homes
Avoid entering rooms in the families home unless or permitted by the parent
If using the client’s TV equipment with their permission, do not incur any cost on their account by downloading movies
Tidy away any toys and games used while babysitting.
Do not use any computer equipment including iPads and laptops.
Do not help yourself to the contents of the fridge or cupboards, unless invited to by the parent.
Do not use the house phone for your personal calls. You can do so only for the wellbeing of the child in an emergency.
Hotel booking or event bookings
Some of our parents request for a booking to take place in a hotel or at an address other than their home address. This will be made clear to our sitters when SuperiorSitters confirm offer of booking to sitter along with relevant details.
When you arrive at the hotel you should notify reception that you are the families babysitter and give them the family name as well as your name so they can call up to the room. Alternatively you could call the parent directly and let them know you have arrived.
When you arrive in the room the parent will show you where everything is and show you were the children are if they are already sleeping and are not in sight. You can also ask any questions you may have.
Unless the parents have given you permission do not use the minibar, room telephone (unless it is for the children’s wellbeing) and paid tv subscription.
If the sitter chooses to use room service while on the booking this must be discussed with the parent before hand and the sitter must pay for their food and any other chargers that come with the order.
If the parent offers you some food or a drink only then will it be paid for by the parent but again this has to be agreed before hand.
At no point is anyone else allowed in the room unless it’s a member of the hotel staff bringing or collecting items to the room.
Never leave the hotel room door open or leave children unattended under any circumstances.
Your personal data
After your application with SuperiorSitters has been successful and your registration is complete, your personal details will be kept in accordance with data protection and confidentiality laws and guidelines. When a booking has been confirmed (with both the parent and sitter) the sitter’s childcare experience as well as their basic personal details such as name, contact number will be provided to the parent whose booking you have accepted.
Breach of contract
We clearly state that it is against our agency policy and rules to solicit or accept bookings from any SuperiorSitters families without going through us first. This is all explained in your signed declaration. If any of our parents contacts you to ask your availability for a future booking that you are able to accept please refer them to book through SuperiorSitters. If the parent specifically asks for you while making the booking you will be the first to be offered their booking.
Rates of pay
Payment
All payments will made within 48 hours after you have completed your booking.
Payment will be made into the bank account you provided during your SuperiorSitters job confirmation.
All SuperiorSitters have agreed to abide by the terms and conditions above.